Out of the Ruins
by Ederfan1
Summary: Tragedy strikes the day Serena comes back to Holby. Will any of them be the same again? Major character death, but not our 2 ladies.
1. Chapter 1

Out of the Ruins

A/N Hello all. Still have like 3 other stories going but this just jumped into my head and I can't let it go. Will be sad, (major character death,no not either of our favorite ladies), but also, I think uplifting, in the end.

Chapter 1

"Yes, Jac, I can be in within a 1/2 hour,"Bernie said into her mobile as she was getting her clothes ready in the bedroom of her flat.

"Thank you Bernie," the CT consultant replied from her desk in her office. "Ms. Maynard is stable for now however,I think your trauma expertise is required for this type of thoracic pain."

"Right, I'll be there in a bit," she says and disconnects the call.

And just as she was finishing getting ready, the mobile rang again.

"Jesus, I said I'd be there Jac,"Bernie mumbles to herself as she goes to grab the phone.

But she is stunned at the number on the screen.

"S,,, Serena?" she all but whispers as she connects the call.

"Hello, Bernie," the voice she missed so much these past 4 months greets her, even though they had spoken on a few occasions.

"H,,, How are you? Where are you?" Bernie asks expectantly.

"Actually,,, I'm home," she replies.

"Really? Which airport," Bernie asks.

"No, I'm in my home now," she replies.

"Oh,, why didn't you call? I would've gotten you," Bernie says.

"I figured you were busy with work," Serena replies.

"Actually, I'm sorry, Jac is expecting me for a consult very shortly," Bernie states as she grabs her bag and keys.

"Okay, then go, can't keep her waiting," Serena replies. "I,,, I'll see you there later."

"You're coming in today?" Bernie asks as she gets to her car.

"Yes, I feel ready," she replies. "I need to start making amends for my atrocious behavior some time ago."

"I don't think people would use that word," Bernie says. "But I think you should take things slow there."

"I will, I promise," she replies.

"Can I make a suggestion?" Bernie asks.

"Go ahead," she replies.

"Admin only today," she replies. "Paperwork."

And Serena actually chuckles a bit.

"Can I get in our office? Or is it ruined," she asks.

"Ummm, kinda sorta," Bernie quips in reply." but you'll come out of the ruins I'm sure."

"Sounds perfect," Serena says, with just a little sarcasm.

"I'll see you soon?" she continues.

"Count on it," Bernie replies.

And before Serena can utter the words she's wanted to say since she left, but couldn't, Bernie disconnects.

"I love you."

_

After examining Ms. Maynard and determining that it was her gall bladder giving her trouble and not her heart, Bernie stood at the nurses' station with Jasmine, Jac and Zosia.

"She's responding to pain medication, and the CT scan shows stones," Zosia reads from the chart.

"Good, I'll do the laparascopic cholesystectomy later on," Bernie replies. "Can we get her transferred to Keller?"

"Yep, paperwork will be done shortly," Jasmine replies.

"Thank you," Bernie replies. And as she turns to leave, Zosia calls to her.

"Any word from Ms. Campbell?" she asks.

"Um,, yes actually," she replies glancing at Jas and Jac. "She's back today."

And none of them reply right away.

"Good," Jac suddenly says.

And before Bernie can react with the surprise that she feels, they hear alarms go off in the private side room where Ms Maynard is.

As they enter the room, they find Ms. Maynard in full cardiac arrest, an empty syringe on the bed.

As Jasmine immediately moves to the crash cart, and Jac starts compressions, they are unaware of something else in the room.

Under the trolley.

A device.

With a clock.

That's counting down.

_

Serena pulled into her parking space, surprised to see it still marked for her.

"Glad to see they expected me back," she says to herself.

Before getting out, she just sat there, staring at the building.

"Well, back to my life," she says softly. "And everyone in it."

And she closes her eyes.

"Except you, my baby," she whispers, a single tear falling.

She then wipes the tear away, determined to get herself back to some kind of normalcy.

With work.

And Bernie.

As she's about to exit the car, she looks up.

And sees a familiar face leaving the building.

In a big hurry.

"Dr. Mayfield?" she says to herself. "Where's he going in such a hurry?"

"Oh, probably home to Dr. Copeland," she answers her own question with an eye roll.

And as she puts her foot to the ground:

An earth-shattering noise comes from above her, from in the hospital.

As she instinctively ducks down behind her open car door, she manages to look up.

And is horrified by what she sees.

Smoke, debris, flames.

And through all that,,,,

A gaping hole.

In the 6th floor of the building.

Darwin ward.

Where Bernie was going to be.

TBC

A/N I promise, Bernie will be okay. A little hurt, but okay. Others, not so lucky. Hope you like the start. More soon if you think I should continue. Reviews are much welcomed.


	2. Chapter 2

A/N Hi everyone. Glad you like this so far. It's taken me a little while to continue this due to what happened in Manchester last week. So sad. My heart goes out to all affected  
by this heinous act. I wasn't sure telling a story that dealt with a bomb going off in a hospital set in the UK was appropriate. Hope it's still okay.

Chapter 2

Serena just stood there, horrified by what she saw above her. The air was filled with acrid smoke, debris falling, and flames. And then screams.

People were running everywhere it seemed. And at first she thought they were running for the entrance to get up to Darwin.

Then, she realized. They were also running to the huge pile of debris that was on the ground.

Because,,,, there was a body in there.

She could just make out an arm.

And she felt her heart nearly stop.

"No, it can't be," she whispers.

She then looks up again, then races for the front door.

"BERNIE!"

_

Consciousness came slowly to Bernie, the pain in her head almost to much to bear, her whole body feeling like it was on fire.

Thankfully, it wasn't not literally.

She managed to remove some debris that had covered her and she struggled to ascertain where exactly she was.

The area was almost completely dark, all electrical wiped out.

She could just make out the nurses' station next to her.

Then she heard people yelling, other people crying, and alarms blaring.

Suddenly, someone was in front of her.

"Ms. Wolfe?"

Dominic.

"Dom,,, room,,, 3," she struggles to say. "Me, Jac, Zosia and Jasmine. And a patient."

He then turns to the room, or more aptly, where the room had been.

"Oh my God," he whispers.

"Let me get you out of here, then I'll get over there," he continues as he slowly helps Bernie up.

"Rubbish, I'm okay," she replies as she starts moving to the area where she had just been blasted from.

And against his better judgement, Dom does not argue.

As they get there, another voice is heard.

"Holy shit."

Ollie.

And all Bernie can do is move to look for someone.

Anyone.

To hopefully be still alive.

Like she is.

As the three of them move debris, they see 2 hands.

And they just start digging quicker.

And all the while, no one notices the trickle of blood coming down the side of Bernies' face.

Not concentrating on herself, Bernie uncovers someone first.

"Jac," she whispers.

And seconds later:

"Zosia," Ollie and Dom say in unison.

And with a strength she herself didn't know she had, Bernie manages to pick Jac up in her arms.

"Bernie,, wait you can't," Dom tries to argue.

"I've done this before, get Zosia out now,I'll meet you outside," she replies and starts to head to the stairway.

_

Before Serena could get inside, she was pulled back out by Henrik to help with the victims outside.

"Henrik, Bernie was up there," she whispers, beyond frightened.

"I am aware of that Serena but I need you out here," he replies stoically but with a compassionate expression."The building is not stable, we will transport casualties  
to the A and E where the building was not affected."

But before Serena could argue more:

"CAN I GET SOME HELP HERE PLEASE?"

And she turns to see the woman she loves, carrying their colleague.

Their critically injured colleague.

"Bernie, oh God," Serena cries, tears falling.

"Severe internal injuries from a blast of unknown force,"Bernie rattles off as Henrik waves 2 orderlies over with a trolley.

She then looks at Henrik as they wheel Jac away to an ambulance to get her to A and E.

"Ollie and Dom will be down with Zosia March," she tells him.

Henrik just nods then looks between the 2 women, knowing they need a few moments.

"Bernie, I,,," Serena starts to say but she puts a finger to her lips.

"Not how you expected to see me for the first time in 4 months," she states.

And with a smile as tears fall, Serena reaches up to caress the side of her face.

And then sees the blood.

"Oh my God, you're hurt," she states taking her by the hand to get her to sit down.

"Serena, I'm fine," she argues. "I need to help the others."

She then looks to the rescue workers digging through the pile of debris.

Then, she sees it.

A body covered in a sheet.

Then a voice over the overwhelming noise of sirens and people.

"Found the other victim."

And they pull out Jasmine.

And as they lay her down on the grass, and start to cover her with a sheet,Bernie goes as white as that sheet.

"Bernie, I,," Serena starts to speak as she reaches for her.

But the reaching turns quickly to catching.

Catching Bernie as she collapses.

Blood coming from her head.

TBC

A/N As I said, she'll be okay. Sorry about Jasmine. I like the character, but for this story,,,,. And do you think it's even possible for  
Bernie to be able to carry someone? Poetic license I guess. More soon, I promise. Reviews are much appreciated. Thank you.


End file.
